The unreal cannot have another unreality for its cause, nor can the real have the unreal for its cause***

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The unreal cannot have another unreality for its cause, nor can the real have the unreal for its cause. The real cannot be the cause of the real. And how utterly impossible it is for the real to be the cause of the unreal!

As a person within the waking experience through false knowledge appears to handle objects, whose nature is inscrutable, as if they were real, so also, in dreams, he perceives, through false knowledge, objects whose existence is possible in the dream alone.

Scholars teach the causality only for the sake of those who, afraid of non-creation, assert the reality of external objects because they perceive such objects and also because they cling to various social and religious duties.

Those who, because of their fear of the truth of absolute non- creation and also because of their perception of external objects, deny non-creation are not affected by the evil consequent on the belief in creation. This evil, if there is any, is insignificant. 

As long as a person clings to the belief in causality, the experience of duality will prevail as reality***

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As long as a person clings to the belief in causality, the experience of duality will prevail as reality. But when this attachment to causality wears away, the duality becomes non-existent as reality.

The three states are created by false knowledge; therefore nothing in it is eternal. Everything, again, as one with Ultimate Reality, is unborn; therefore there is no such thing as destruction.

Birth is ascribed to the individual, but such birth is not possible from the standpoint of Reality. Their birth, life and death are part of the illusion. That illusion, again, does not exist.  The illusory sprout is born of the illusory seed. This illusory sprout is neither permanent nor destructible. The same applies to the individual and the world.

The term permanent or impermanent cannot be applied to the birthless self. What is indescribable in words cannot be discriminated about as permanent or impermanent.

As in dreams the mind acts through illusion, presenting the appearance of duality, so also in the waking state the mind acts through illusion, presenting the appearance of duality. There is no doubt that the mind, which is in reality non-dual, appears to be dual in dreams; likewise, there is no doubt that what is non-dual i.e. Consciousness or  Atman, appears to be dual in the waking state. 

The innermost self is never subject to birth. All beings, too, are free from birth. Those who know this do not fall into false knowledge.***

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The Atman is present in the form of consciousness. It is the  consciousness, alone that appears to be born or to move or to take the form of  the matter. But the Atman or the  consciousness, the innermost self, is really ever unborn, immovable and free from the traits of materiality; it is all peace and non-dual.

The atman or the consciousness, the  innermost self is never subject to birth. All beings, too, are free from birth. Those who know this do not fall into false knowledge.

A substance may be the cause of another substance and a non- substance, the cause of another non-substance. But the true self cannot possibly be anything like  the  substance or the  non-substance.

Thus, three states are not caused by the mind, nor is the mind caused by them. As long as a person clings to the belief in causality, he will find cause producing effect. But when this attachment to causality wears away, cause and effect become non-existent.






 

No one can grasp consciousness as separate entity apart from THE duality because it is the formless clay and the witness of the experience of duality***

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The Soul or Atman is in the form of consciousness. Consciousness, the innermost self is the One and Undifferentiated, which by the manifold application of its powers produces the dual and non-dual experiences (waking/dream/deep sleep) and, in the end, withdraws the three states into itself, is indeed the self—luminous.

The cause of all the three states, self—luminous and all—pervading, consciousness dwells always in the three states as their formless clay and witness. Consciousness is revealed by the negative way, discriminative wisdom and the Knowledge of Unity based upon reflection. The one who know consciousness as the true self becomes one with the immortal self.

When there is no ignorance, there is no day or night, neither being nor none—being; the pure consciousness alone exists. That immutable Reality is the meaning of "consciousness. From it has proceeded the non-dual wisdom.

No one can grasp the  consciousness as a separate entity apart from the  duality because it is the formless clay and the witness of the experience of duality(waking or universe) thus it cannot be grasped as above, across, or in the middle.

Its form is not an object of vision; no one beholds it with the eyes. They who, through pure intellect and the Knowledge of Unity based upon reflection, realize consciousness as the true self becomes one with the immortal.

Wisdom is within oneself. The truth is not found in words. Truth is within oneself ***

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There is no wisdom whatsoever in this physical existence or universe. Scriptures are just a collection of words. Thus,  the wisdom is not found in scriptures. Wisdom is within oneself. The truth is not found in words.  Truth is within oneself."  

The scriptures are filled just with information. By accumulating information one cannot attain    wisdom.  No matter how much one knows, wisdom is not attained. One  can go on gathering more and more knowledge, learn the scriptures by heart, become parrots, memorize each and every sutra or stanza , let the complete Vedas be imprinted in his  memory -- but still the  wisdom will not dawn. 

People think that mastering scriptural knowledge is wisdom.  Pundits and religious gurus call scriptural knowledge as wisdom. Scriptural knowledge binds one instead thus it is not liberation.  Wisdom is that which liberates one from experiencing the duality as reality.

 That is why Sri Sankara, indicated  in Bhaja Govindam says  :~ (Jnana Viheena Sarva Mathena Bajathi na Muktim janma Shatena) - one without knowledge does not obtain liberation even in a hundred births, no matter which religious faith he follows. 

 Sage Sri, Sankara says:~   VC~58. Loud speech consisting of a shower of words, the skill in expounding the Scriptures, and likewise erudition - these merely bring on a little personal enjoyment to the scholar, but are no good for Liberation.

59. The study of the Scriptures is useless so long as the highest Truth is unknown, and it is equally useless when the highest Truth has already been known.

60. The Scriptures consisting of many words are a dense forest which merely causes the mind to ramble. Hence men of wisdom should earnestly set about knowing the true nature of the Self.

61. For one who has been bitten by the serpent of Ignorance, the only remedy is the knowledge of Brahman. Of what avail are the Vedas and (other) Scriptures, Mantras (sacred formulae) and medicines to such a one?

62. A disease does not leave off if one simply utters the name of the medicine, without taking it; (similarly) without direct realisation one cannot be liberated by the mere utterance of the word Brahman.

63. Without causing the objective universe to vanish and without knowing the truth of the Self, how is one to achieve Liberation by the mere utterance of the word Brahman? — It would result merely in an effort of speech.

64. Without killing one’s enemies, and possessing oneself of the splendour of the entire surrounding region, one cannot claim to be an emperor by merely saying, ‘I am an emperor’.

65. As a treasure hidden underground requires (for its extraction) competent instruction, excavation, the removal of stones and other such things lying above it and (finally) grasping, but never comes out by being (merely) called out by name, so the transparent Truth of the self, which is hidden by Maya and its effects, is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman, followed by reflection, meditation and so forth, but not through perverted arguments.

66. Therefore the wise should, as in the case of disease and the like, personally strive by all the means in their power to be free from the bondage of repeated births and deaths.

Thus, Sage Sri Sankara clearly indicated that: - yoga, intellectualism, scriptural mastery is not the means to self-knowledge.  But by the realization of one's identity with consciousness, which is ultimate truth or Brahman, freedom from experiencing the illusion as reality is possible, and by no other means. 

 Sage Sri, Ramana Maharishi  says:~

Q by D:~ Is not necessary to study the Vedas or at least the Prasthanatraya [the Bhagavad Gita,Dasopanishad and Brahma Sutras, all with commentaries]to ensure firm realization?

Sage Sri, Ramana Maharishi:~ No. Do you need all that to see yourself? All that is intellectual wealth, useful in explaining doubts and difficulties if others rise them or if you yourself encounter them in the course of thinking. But to attain realization, all that is not necessary. You want fresh water to drink, but you do not require all the water of the river Ganges to quench your thirst. (Page 111/112 of Practical guide to know yourself c/e by A.R.N).

 This surely indicates Sri, Ramana Maharishi’s path is independent path nothing to do  with the religion and scriptures. 

 Even Upanishad say:~

Katha Upanishad :~  This Atman cannot be attained by the study of the Vedas, or by intelligence, or by much hearing of sacred books. It is attained by him alone whom It chooses. To such a one Atman reveals Its own form. ( Ch-II -23-P-20)

Mundaka Upanishad  :~ This Atman cannot be attained through study of the Vedas, nor through intelligence, nor through much learning. He who chooses Atman—by him alone is Atman attained. It is Atman that reveals to the seeker Its true nature. (   3 –page-70

Mundaka Upanishad  Upanishads by Nikilanada)

The scriptures indicate that Atman is Brahman, and Brahman is the ultimate truth. Therefore, the soul, which is in the form of consciousness, is the ultimate truth.  Thus to realize the ultimate truth is the prime goal.   A well-directed inquiry, analysis and reasoning will lead one to his non-dual destination. 

Self-Realization is the direct realization of the ultimate truth or real God, in contrast with traditional paths, which are indirect. And the other paths cannot lead to the ultimate destination because they are based on the false self, which they hold as real self and false experience as reality.